Chelford rail accident
Encyclopedia
The Chelford rail accident occurred on 22 December 1894 at Chelford railway station
. The stationmaster was supervising shunting operations, during which a high-sided wagon was fly-shunted (i.e. run-off) into a siding in strong winds and rapidly fading light. As another six wagons were being run onto an adjoining road, the stationmaster saw the high-sided wagon being blown out of its siding by the wind to meet them. A collision occurred derailing the runaway in such a way that it fouled the main line just as the 16:15 Manchester to Crewe express approached, drawn by two locomotives, LNWR Waterloo Class
2-4-0
No 418 Zygia and Experiment Class
No 518 Express. The stationmaster ran towards them waving a red lamp but the drivers thought he was signalling to the shunters and did not slacken speed. Zygia derailed and fell on her side whilst her tender ran up the platform ramp. Express remained upright but the first carriage demolished the front of a signalbox. 14 passengers were killed and 48 injured.
The enquiry had little comment to make as this seemed to be a freak accident but advised that, in future, the brakes of all shunted wagons should be immediately pinned down.
Chelford railway station
Chelford railway station serves the village of Chelford in Cheshire, England. The station is 23 km north of Crewe on the Manchester-Crewe Line.-1894 rail crash:...
. The stationmaster was supervising shunting operations, during which a high-sided wagon was fly-shunted (i.e. run-off) into a siding in strong winds and rapidly fading light. As another six wagons were being run onto an adjoining road, the stationmaster saw the high-sided wagon being blown out of its siding by the wind to meet them. A collision occurred derailing the runaway in such a way that it fouled the main line just as the 16:15 Manchester to Crewe express approached, drawn by two locomotives, LNWR Waterloo Class
LNWR Waterloo Class
The London and North Western Railway Waterloo class was a class of 2-4-0 steam locomotives that was also known as the Whitworth class.They were introduced by F.W...
2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
No 418 Zygia and Experiment Class
LNWR Webb Experiment Class
The Experiment Class was a series of 30 three-cylinder 2--0 compound locomotives designed by Francis Webb for the London and North Western Railway between 1882 and 1884. They were Webb’s first large-scale experiment with a class of express compound locomotives, and the first engine was named...
No 518 Express. The stationmaster ran towards them waving a red lamp but the drivers thought he was signalling to the shunters and did not slacken speed. Zygia derailed and fell on her side whilst her tender ran up the platform ramp. Express remained upright but the first carriage demolished the front of a signalbox. 14 passengers were killed and 48 injured.
The enquiry had little comment to make as this seemed to be a freak accident but advised that, in future, the brakes of all shunted wagons should be immediately pinned down.
External links
- Accident at Chelford on 22nd December 1894 from the Railway Archive, includes a PDF of the Accident Return